Jeff Graham: Let's Play Name That Pumas Mystery Player

Working until midnight most nights, it’s rare that I find enough courage to crawl out of bed at a decent hour in the morning.

Today will be different.

This morning at 11 a.m. sharp, I’ll be arriving at the Old Town Bistro in Silverdale. It’ll be a tad early for lunch, but just the right time for the Kitsap Soccer Club to announce their most recent player signing, one described as “major” by Pumas executive director Ben Pecora.

Here’s the thing. I already know the identity of the player. I just can’t say who it is, as I’ve been sworn to secrecy. Look for a story online later today for a story on the Pumas’ mystery player.

Since I can’t spill the beans yet, let’s do this. I’ll play dumb and pretend I don’t know the player’s identity. This way, I can help all you readers out there speculate on who the newest Puma might be without revealing him.

Follow me, won’t you?

A “major” signing, to me, says that the Pumas are getting a true difference-maker on the field. This someone isn’t going to have to do too much worrying about making the team when Kitsap holds tryouts next month. This is someone legit, someone the team feels could eventually play at the next level, whether that’s in Major League Soccer or the United Soccer Leagues First Division or some other top-tier league around the world.

So what were Kitsap’s needs coming into the season?

If you think back to last season, when the Pumas won the Northwest Division title in their first season in the USL Premier Development League, Kitsap did more than its fair share of scoring (40 goals). But defense proved to be the team’s bedrock.

Goalkeeper Dustyn Brim and defender Mark Lee both earned All-West Conference honors as the Pumas allowed just 13 goals in league play and advanced to the quarterfinals before bowing out to eventual PDL champion Ventura County.

Did the Pumas, who last November hired former Seattle University men’s coach Peter Fewing as their new coach, land another top-notch backliner?

It’s possible. Remember, last month the team loaned center back Taylor Hyde to F.C. La Paz in Bolivia for a year. That’s a big loss as Hyde was as steady as any of the defenders last season. If the Pumas have found his replacement, it’s a nice find.

Or perhaps Kitsap landed a midfielder. That’s the one area of the field where the team saw some change throughout last season with players rotating in and out. The Pumas liked getting their midfielders outside and up the field, but they lacked somebody in the center who could create and take charge on a regular basis.

Did team owner Robin Waite spot someone he liked when he went oversees on a scouting trip toward the end of last year? Possibly, but I’m thinking more local.

If I’m a betting man, I’m thinking the Pumas did what they were able to do last year to fill out their roster — they plucked someone off an existing PDL team, most likely the Tacoma Tide or Washington Crossfire (formerly the Seattle Wolves).

Remember, before last season, they nabbed Lee, captain Steve Mohn and forward Spencer Schomaker from the Tide. It was a chance for these guys to join a first-year team, plus earn a paycheck — as Kitsap is one of a handful of PDL clubs to sign players to contracts.

So who might Kitsap have been targeting? Last year, Washington Crossfire had a pair of All-West Conference players in defender Daniel Scott and midfielder Ely Allen, while Tacoma had an All-West Conference player in forward Rory Agu, the Tide’s all-time leading scorer.

Scott, who was a guest starter with the Pumas during a 1-0 victory over the Division I Portland Timbers during a friendly last September, has an older brother Zach who plays for Seattle Sounders FC, while Allen has MLS experience after being signed by D.C. United late last season.

Anyone one of these three would be a fine addition to Kitsap’s roster.

Today over brunch, the secret will be revealed.

Jeff Graham is a sportswriter for the Kitsap Sun. Contact him at jgraham@kitsapsun.com or (360) 792-8566.